Hurd wants to contribute beyond special teams

Upon learning that he had survived Saturday’s cut to 53 players, San Antonio’s Sam Hurd immediately set his sights on gaining a larger role in the Dallas Cowboys offense.

The Cowboys had discussions last week about trading or cutting the Brackenridge graduate, primarily because they had trouble justifying paying a backup and special teams ace $1.8 million.

But after thinning their depth at wide receiver by trading Patrick Crayton and his $2 million salary to San Diego on Friday, Hurd’s value came into focus.

Rather than cut ties with Hurd, Dallas released two younger, cheaper receivers in Jesse Holley and Manuel Johnson. That leaves Hurd and second-year player Kevin Ogletree, who replaces Crayton as the No. 4 receiver, to back up Miles Austin, Roy Williams and first-round draft pick Dez Bryant.

“Every special teams player in the league wants more time at his position,” said Hurd, who had a team-high 19 special teams tackles last season. “I’m praying for it.”

Hurd was rumored to be on the bubble throughout the Cowboys’ five-week training camp, but the five-year veteran went about his business professionally and finished the preseason as the team’s leading receiver with 13 catches for 179 yards with one touchdown, a 43-yarder in the preseason finale.

“I was never nervous,” Hurd said. “If I don’t control it, why worry about it? It was in God’s hands.”

There were reports that Hurd refused to take a pay cut, but he said his agent never approached him about the Cowboys asking him to take less money.

“I don’t know what I would do, since I was never put in that situation,” Hurd said. “I don’t know how to talk to my family about it.”